In Cambridgeshire, Ormiston Families’ Small Steps Together team supports new and expectant mothers presenting with low to moderate mental health needs during their pregnancy and up until their children are 2. The specialist team is made up both of staff and volunteers, including specialist perinatal mental health workers and those with lived experience. The team offers a range of interventions, also involving partners and other family members. These interventions include 1:1 counselling, support to access community services, fitness and wellbeing activities and innovative use of Video Interactive Guidance (VIG), which focuses on supporting parents to develop their own strengths and foster nurturing relationships with their children. Since the service launched in September 2017, the team has worked with 315 families in Cambridgeshire, as well as undertaking a pilot project in West Norfolk. The team aims to work with 165 families each year, including those families who stay engaged over a number of years.
The impact on families has been positive: 98% of parents have said that the programme supported increased attachment to their children, with 96% saying the support helped to improve their mental health. 100% of families contacted after three months continue to access community wellbeing support and activities,
and feel their children experience improved wellbeing and reach development milestones earlier. The service has also been widely commended externally and won the Early Years Award at the CYPN Awards in 2021.
ormiston.org/what-we-do/mentalhealth-and-wellbeing/small-stepstogether